MAP-T Service Prefix Routing for Scalable Network Differentiation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network service providers face scalability and efficiency issues in tracking differentiated service levels due to the need for millions of classifiers and stateful services, which are costly and inefficient, especially as user numbers increase.

Innovation Solution

Implementing MAP-T technology to provide differentiated network services by using service-specific IPv6 network prefixes and mapping rules, allowing stateless translation and classification of traffic based on service-specific IPv6 prefixes, eliminating the need for per-subscriber state information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If per-device service level tracking is implemented in the downlink direction, then service differentiation is achieved, but system complexity and operational costs increase exponentially due to requiring millions of classifiers and stateful services

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice differentiation capabilityVSAvoidclassifier quantity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments service level tracking into two directions: uplink tracking by device type at the access device, and downlink tracking by service level at the border relay. This segmentation eliminates the need for millions of per-device classifiers in the downlink direction, as the border relay only needs to track aggregate service levels for groups of devices sharing the same IPv4 prefix.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces MAP-T translation technology as an intermediary mechanism between IPv4 and IPv6 networks. The border relay acts as an intermediary that performs stateless translation of IPv4 packets to IPv6 packets using service-specific mapping rules, eliminating the need for stateful per-device tracking while maintaining service differentiation capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If stateful service tracking is maintained for increasing numbers of users, then service level accuracy is preserved, but operational efficiency deteriorates due to the expensive and inefficient stateful service model

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice level tracking accuracyVSAvoidoperational efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service through stateless MAP-T translation at the border relay. Instead of maintaining expensive stateful services for each user, the system uses service-specific mapping rules that automatically translate IPv4 packets to IPv6 packets based on service levels without requiring per-user state information. This self-service approach maintains service level accuracy while dramatically improving operational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates service-specific IPv6 network prefixes as copies or representations of different service levels. Each service level (e.g., gold, silver, bronze) is represented by a unique IPv6 prefix, allowing the border relay to perform stateless translation by copying packet data and replacing IPv4 addresses with the appropriate service-specific IPv6 address based on the service level, eliminating the need for stateful tracking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If IPv4 address space is allocated for service differentiation, then service specific routing is enabled, but IPv4 address exhaustion accelerates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice specific routing capabilityVSAvoidIPv4 address availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent fundamentally changes the addressing parameter from IPv4 to IPv6 for service-specific routing. Instead of allocating additional IPv4 address space for different service levels (which would accelerate IPv4 exhaustion), the system uses service-specific IPv6 network prefixes. This parameter change allows unlimited service differentiation while conserving the limited IPv4 address space, as IPv6 provides a vastly larger address space that can accommodate multiple service levels without exhaustion concerns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20260005996A1Differentiated network services using map-t translation technology

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 CHARTER COMM OPERATING LLC

AI summary

Methods and systems for providing differentiated network services using Mapping of Address and Port using translation (MAP-T) technology are described. A method includes provisioning a service specific IPv6 network prefix and a service specific basic mapping rule to an access device, the service specific IPv6 network prefix associated with a differentiated network service level, provisioning a service specific mapping rule to a border relay, identifying by the access device service packets associated with the differentiated network service level, translating by the access device the identified service packets to the service specific IPv6 network prefix using the service specific basic mapping rule to generate service specific packets, forwarding the service specific packets to the border relay via a service provider network, translating return packets to service specific return packets using the service specific mapping rule, and forwarding the service specific return packets to the access device.